What is Hematuria?
Hematuria is the presence of blood in urine. There are two types of hematuria: gross (visible to the naked eye) and microscopic (visible only under a microscope). The latter is identified through lab testing. If you see blood in your urine, it is always a good idea to check with a provider to identify possible causes.
What are Some Possible Causes of Hematuria?
Several problems could be the root cause of the leakage of blood into the urinary tract, which include:
- **Less harmful conditions, such as female menstruation, sexual activity, trauma, dehydration, vigorous exercise, bladder/kidney/ureter stones, trauma, sexually transmitted diseases, medications, viral infections, or bladder/kidney/urinary tract infections.
- Other more serious causes may be an enlarged prostate, blood clots, liver diseases, polycystic kidney disease, sickle cell disease, blood disorders, kidney/bladder cancer, or inflammation of the kidney, urethra, prostate, or bladder.
**Note that some foods (examples include beets, food coloring, rhubarb, and some medicines) can make the urine appear an abnormal color. This is not considered hematuria.